Calcium / Phosphorus Ratio

One thing to be sensitive to with llamas aside from good general nutrition is
the calcium/phosphorus ratio. The ideal ratio in most mammals is theoretically
1/1, however, reality is different. This is because typically any phosphorus in
excess of calcium will pull calcium from the bones. This not only causes a
decrease in bone density, but the robbing and restoration cycles in the bone
causes the bone to form irregular growths and deformations. Conversely, if
calcium is in excess of phosphorus, there are no serious ill effects until the
ratio gets way out of balance, e.g., greater than ~5:1. With a large imbalance
in that direction kidney stones become much more likely. The excess calcium
will also inhibit absorption of other minerals, e.g., zinc, copper, etc., which
creates other deficiencies.

So it is important to make sure they are getting enough calcium to assure the
ratio never drops below 1.2:1. A good target is 1.5:1. The ratios in feedstock
can vary quite a bit depending on soil conditions, variety of plant/grain, time
of harvest, etc. Short of analyzing everything, it's possible to roughly
estimate intake by using averages for various common feedstock.

Alfalfa runs about 5.5:1, which makes it a good supplement to offset calcium
deficiency in the regular feedstock. (It doesn't take very much.) Note
that llamas should not be fed just straight alfalfa. Not only is the
calcium/phosphorus balance way off but the nitrogen, protein and caloric levels
are too high. Llamas are designed to subsist on browse that consists
mostly of grasses. Other legumes, like clover, have a ratio similar to
alfalfa.

Grasses often run below the target 1.5:1 ratio.
While orchard grass can run as high as 1.1:1, it more typically runs only about
0.8:1, which can be a real problem if
that is the sole diet of llamas.
Bluegrass is about 1.1:1
Tall White Fescue is about 1.2:1
Oat grass is about 1.2:1
Bermuda grass is about 1.6:1
Timothy is close to 2:1

Whole grains being rich in phosphorus have a very skewed ratio, running under 0.3:1.
Corn 0.2:1
Barley 0.15:1
Oat 0.15:1

Grain bran is even worse.
Wheat bran 0.1:1
Rice bran 0.06:1

Obviously one should never feed a lot of bran, especially rice bran, unless
supplemented with a
lot of calcium. Pelletized rice bran sold as feed supplement for horses is
fortified with calcium and is good for llamas needing extra calories for weight
gain. Some come with added joint health supplements, making it a good feed
supplement for elderly llamas having a harder time keeping the weight on.

Feeding Alfalfa to Llamas

Advantages: Alfalfa is higher calorie/energy than grass, so they don't need
nearly as much to maintain weight. Consequently the intake must be carefully
regulated via individual haying. The resulting advantage is that it is much
cheaper to feed alfalfa hay than grass hay. It's also more readily available
(except perhaps in the southeast). Alfalfa is typically very high in calcium so
there aren't any issues with calcium deficiencies and resulting skeletal
problems from that. With less to chew, teeth should last longer in llamas
(though this is potentially a problem for alpacas who's teeth grow
continuously).

Disadvantages: Intake must be carefully regulated for each llama (more work --
can't pasture on alfalfa). There are mild toxins in alfalfa (some books even
list it as a poisonous plant), and much higher protein content, that puts
greater strain on the kidneys and liver compared to grass (potentially a problem
for compromised llamas, and calcium or oxalic kidney stones are more likely).
Effects are lessened by restricting intake. The lower bulk intake makes them
more susceptible to cold if in a cold environment, but at an advantage in a hot
environment. The disproportionally high percentage of calcium combined with the
lower bulk intake makes vitamin and mineral deficiencies more likely compared to
grass fed, but this is highly variable depending on local soil conditions and
maturity of the plant. The low bulk diet makes the llama feel hungry most of
the time. Consequently they are at higher risk of eating things they shouldn't
if the opportunity arises, such as poisonous weeds that sprout in the enclosure
or if they should accidentally get out of the enclosure. Lower bulk means less
cud chewing, so acidosis and ulceration is more likely.

Bottom Line: Straight alfalfa can be fed to llamas but at significantly
higher risk of adverse health effects. Some folks choose to feed a blend
of grass with alfalfa in about an 80/20 ratio, which can be a good choice
particularly if available grass is a variety that happens to be low in calcium.
Given free choice in a pasture setting with both grass and alfalfa available,
llamas will not eat straight alfalfa. They will choose to eat mostly grass
and nibble on comparatively small amounts of alfalfa, typically limited to about
10%.

Haying in the Winter

Contrary to the stated belief of some, there is no need to elevate protein
levels in the hay during Winter months. Healthy llamas will do just fine on low
protein hay and the studies I have read indicate that protein needs in llamas is
low relative to other livestock, apparently due to greater efficiency. Also,
old llamas with reduced-function kidneys will be under greater renal stress with
a high protein intake. What llamas need in the wintertime when it is cold is
lots of volume. Free choice low protein hay is much better than restricted
quantities of high protein hay or grain supplement. Nothing is better for
keeping a llama warm than a full stomach of lots of fiber for the rumen to
digest, which is a mildly exothermic reaction. The larger quantity consumed in
the winter will elevate the total quantity of everything else going in,
including protein. They will get enough. Consequently, if you can get lower
protein hay that horse owners would reject at significantly reduced cost than
the premium stuff and can then provide much more of it, they will be better
off. Free choice premium hay will instead lead to overweight llamas along with
keeping them warmer.

This doesn't mean they should be fed garbage hay or just straw, but I think
folks get too concerned about hay that is 8-10% protein and think it must be
more like 14-15% to be optimal for them in the Winter. Even 6-7% protein is of
no concern to me as free choice to a healthy herd that is not very active in the
Winter. We supplement our llamas with the NW llama supplement and supply
granular salt to assure they get the vitamins and minerals they need. Of course
lactating or pregnant llamas are an exception and should get a bit more protein
than others.

Vitamin E

Dry hay is very low in vitamin E and absent in older hay, whereas llamas seem
to benefit from higher levels of vitamin E compared to other livestock. Keep
this in mind when feeding hay -- especially lower "quality" hay. The
d-alpha tocopherol form is natural vitamin E, which is derived from soybeans.
The dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate form is a man-made synthetic vitamin E.
Supplement hayed llamas.

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Last modified: 15 May 2012